6 Hairstyles That Take 5 Minutes or Less

Whether we're making our way out the door for an early class or for our first day at our internship, we all have those days when spending extra time on our hair just isn’t a priority. Sometimes we’d rather sacrifice our appearance for a few extra minutes of sleep (and there’s nothing wrong with that). For days like these, we turn to our handy-dandy list of hairstyles that can take us from drab to fab in five minutes or less. Whether you woke up late, or your hair just isn’t cooperating, these six quick and easy hairstyles can help you pull yourself together in no time.

1. Loose side braid

So you’ve never been very good at braiding hair. Lucky for you, you don’t have to be a pro at braiding to pull off this style. This is a perfectly imperfect hairstyle that will give you a bit of a romantic look while also allowing you to show off your inner boho girl.

2. Ballerina bun

You don’t have to be a ballerina in training to wear this look! A ballerina bun is a great go-to hairstyle for collegiettes who want a look that’s simple but chic. The bun can be worn right on top of your head or lower down.

Brush your hair into a high ponytail and secure with an elastic at the top of your head. Make sure there aren’t any bumps in your hair.

Put a hair donut at the base of your ponytail and begin wrapping your hair around the donut, securing with hair pins to keep your hair in place. Continue pinning until your hair completely covers the donut, and wrap it under the base.

Apply a spritz of hairspray to keep the bun in place and make sure there aren’t any loose hairs getting out.

3. High ponytail

Believe it or not, there’s more to a ponytail than just throwing it up on the top of your head and wrapping it with an elastic. The key to a great ponytail is its volume and staying power.

Give your hair some texture. If your hair is freshly washed and a little too smooth, add some hair spray to your hair. This will allow your ponytail to stay in place all day long.

Pull your hair up towards the crown of your head.

Holding the ponytail in place with one hand, brush out any bumps with the other hand to ensure a smooth, sleek ponytail.

Once you have found the perfect ponytail placement (center of your head, visible from the front), take your hair elastic and secure the pony into place.

To keep your ponytail looking chic and not like you just came from the gym, take a 1-inch section of hair from the underside of your ponytail and wrap it around the hair elastic. Secure the hair with a bobby pin to hide the elastic, pushing the bobby pin in on the underside of the hair elastic so everything is covered up.

For some added volume and texture, tease the ponytail with a fine-tooth comb, gently combing hair upwards and towards the front.

Spray a toothbrush with hairspray and brush down any flyaways.

4. Hair bow bun

A unique take on the classic high bun, this style is cute, easy and fun. Watch this tutorial from Mr. Kate for reference.

Gather all of your hair on the top of your head and start a ponytail with an elastic.

Loop your hair through the elastic. On the last pull through, don’t pull your hair all the way through, and instead create a loop, leaving the tail of your hair (the ends) pointing toward your forehead.

Divide your loop into two halves.

Take the ends/tail of your hair and fold it back through the space in your two looped halves, creating the center “knot” part of the bow. Secure the ends in the elastic behind the bow in the back of your head.

Fluff up your bow by spreading out the loops and gently tugging them tighter.

5. Knotted bun

Simple enough to do in a matter of minutes but elegant enough to pull off at even the fanciest of occasions, this hairstyle is a must-try!

6. Half-crown braid

Start by taking a 1-to-2-inch section of hair on one side of your hair above your ear. Split this section in three and make a braid.

Angle the braid back around your head and secure the end of the braid with a small, clear hair elastic.

Repeat on the other side, taking a section above your ear and making a braid. Secure the end with a small, clear elastic.

Bring the first braid across the back of your head and pin in place with bobby pins.

Cross the second braid over the first, and tuck the end in behind the first braid. Secure it in place with bobby pins.

Not every late morning has to result in a bad hair day. Whether your alarm conveniently decided to not go off, or you just needed a few extra minutes with your bed this morning, these simple yet chic hairstyles will get you out the door in no time.

Danielle is a senior at the University of Georgia majoring in English and minoring in Sociology. You can usually find her dividing her time between being Campus Correspondent of Her Campus UGA, binge-watching Grey's Anatomy on Netflix and daydreaming about being one of Beyonce's backup dancers. If you want to know more about Danielle, you can follow her on Instagram (@danielleknecole_) or Twitter (@DanielleKnecole).